White Wings, Volume III

th had at first expressed his intention of waiting to see us off; which was very kind on his part, considering how anxious he was to cultivate t

got pulled out to the yacht, and sate on deck while he went

has never happened to us in the Highlands, all the time we have been here. It will be a sort of gh

er pocket, and drew o

she, quite

een the skull of Socrates she could not

und it in the saloon the day before yesterday;" and then

this questio

," said t

red the words than he see

I do not know for certain. I have heard-it has been stated to me-that he might

slightingly treated. He was now bent on making ample amends. In especial, he asked whether his hostess did not remember the beautiful verse in "Mary

?" said he; and he procee

en to the tre

d through the

fancy too

neither hea

was fair, and

toast of a

nd said am

na Mary

they may prove to the young folks that this madness will not last, and that they should marry for more substantial reasons; but ye are jist talking to the wind! Madness or not madness, it is human nature; and ye might jist as well try to fight against the tides. I will say this, too," continued the Laird, and as he warmed to his subject, he rose, and began to pace up and down the deck, "if a young man were to come and tell me that he was ready to throw up a love-match for the sake of prudence and worldly advantage, I would say to him: 'Ma

ling-c

sate down

r than a dull causeway, with an animal trudging along and sorely burdened with the world

is hostess, interposing. "She wants to

ck-though, indeed, I don't at all mind travelling by myself. I must stop at Kendal-is that where the junction is?-for I pr

owning eyebrows, as if the poor people at Winder

not even know I am coming. But this chance of Mr. Smi

the north, to see such things as ye never saw before in your life. And if ye are anxious to get on with your work, I'll tell ye what I'll do. There's our

," is here

t myself. Never mind what the place is like-the Provost has no more imagination than a boiled lobster; but he knows when he has good friends, and goo

deck, saying he was n

"what Mary has been trying to get me to beli

d laughe

ood one!" he cried. "I never he

ere when they begin," said Miss A

gets down into the gig: the notion of Mary Avon being afraid of anything-of

d it impossible for anything to have disturbed his serene dignity of demeanour. But now-when he discovered that there was no letter awaiting any one of us-his impatience seemed dangerously akin to vexation and anger. He would have the servants summoned and cross-examined. Then he w

private office-rooms, their business would be conducted with much greater accuracy and dispatch. Then another thought struck him: were the servants prepared to swear that no registered letter had been presented in the afternoon, and taken away again because there was no one in the house to sign the receipt? Inquiry being made, it was found that no such letter had been

tep was heard on the gravel outside. The Laird, wit

med his seat. "Ye might give him a shillin

apprehensive of a violent storm when the servant passed on and handed this letter to Mary Avon. But t

"Not the least!" He began and told us the story of the old lady who endeavoured to engage the practical Homesh-while he was collecting tickets-in a disquisition on the beauties

Avon's pocket. After dinner the two women went into the drawing-room. Miss Avon sate down to the piano, and began to play

e curiosity of the elder woman

are you not going t

ing into her pocket. "I had for

to read. Her face looked puzzled at first

said, in blank dismay; and the tre

ank in London, begging to inform Miss Avon that he had just received, through Messrs. Todd and Buchanan, of Glasgow, a sum of 10,300*l.* to be placed to her credit. He was also desired to say, that this sum was entirely at her

you married Howard Smith. He has given you all the money you lost; and the steam yacht too. And there is not a w

olutely frightened-this girl was. Mary Avon took back the letter mechanical

annot take it! I should not have stayed here-I shou

woman came to her rescue. She took

uch a friend as that, you shall not wound him and insult him by refusin

mbling. "What shall I say? How can I thank him? If he

he room for a sec

he. "Go to him. And do not be so ung

ed to the library door, timidly tapped at it, and en

expecting a servant with coffee, pro

Mary?" said

he sank down before him, and put her head and her hands on his knees, and burst out crying and sobbing

fath

gently on the

"it is nothing. I